That's five Super Bowl starters in one draft. Willis has the chance to be an all-time great. Staley and Goldson have made Pro Bowls. McDonald is a very underrated piece of the team's defensive line, and Brown starts on the outside at cornerback. It often takes years to find that much draft talent.

McCloughan didn't only make great draft moves. Justin Smith and Ahmad Brooks were picked up for extremely good values in 2008 as free agents (Smith with such a big deal that he was still a bargain in retrospect; Brooks was picked up off the scrap heap).

The 49ers are relatively new to the national stage, but it's a veteran team with continuity in many ways. Frank Gore and Vernon Davis are among 13 players who've been on the Niners for at least six seasons.

Of course, the 49ers wouldn't have made it this far if not for Harbaugh's coaching and the excellent work of McCloughan's replacement at general manager, Trent Baalke.